Hello All,

Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is delayed another year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM2UpLIpRhI (Scott Manley https://www.youtube.com/results?sea...ry=Scott+Manley has covered this in detail; my Uncle Dan, who worked at Boeing on Project Gemini through the ISS, is embarrassed, I’m sure) The Atlas V earmarked for the Starliner second test flight was used to launch the Lucy Trojan asteroids probe instead (see: https://www.youtube.com/results?sea...steroid+mission ). The TMRO Space News show (see: https://www.youtube.com/results?sea...TMRO+Space+News ) covers these developments well, as does Scott Manley.

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It's scary that they thought it was ready for a test flight, yet something is bad enough to delay a full year.

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I love sanding.

What a freakin' JOKE.

This thing should just be scrapped.

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When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !
Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, TURMOIL, FIASCOS, and HAVOC !

I just read that Orion has been moved to the VAB and is "on schedule" to launch 1st quarter of 2022. It's crazy to think that NASA Orion/SLS could beat the Boeing Starliner to orbit. Meanwhile, Space-X keeps kicking butt and taking names.

Interesting notes:

Lucy is having solar panel issues. It's generating power, but they don't know if they can fire engines without it being locked into position.

I either forgot or never knew that the service engine for Orion is a repurposed OMS engine from the space shuttle.

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I love sanding.

Agree with SpaceX, all the way.
They never seem to have any/all the delays/problems that ALWAYS PLAGUE all programs NASA is associated with.
Glad SpaceX has their OWN launch/landing facilities as well to not be subject to any garbage NASA delays/nonsense.
They really should construct something outside of territorial waters to be able to give the "big razzberry" to any/all gubmint agencies that try to butt their snoots in to regulate their activities/launches.
NO STINKIN OVERSIGHT/REGULATION NEEDED, EVER ! Unless you are payin' for it, you get NO say !

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When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !
Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, TURMOIL, FIASCOS, and HAVOC !

So, is it actually then "delayed until NEXT year", as compared to "delayed ANOTHER year" (a whole year longer), is that correct? Early 2022, as you posted, is what I'd been hearing most recently. I had not heard the news that it was delayed a WHOLE year as noted in the first post in this thread.

Earl

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Earl L. Cagle, Jr.
NAR# 29523
TRA# 962
SAM# 73
Owner/Producer
Point 39 Productions

Rocket-Brained Since 1970

Boeing Starliner is delayed, as per the OP. Orion/SLS is on schedule to launch 1st quarter.

From his video link, Manley says Boeing/Starliner will be lucky to get a crewed Demo launch in 2022 and maybe be operational in 2023, 7 years late. Astronauts were reassigned due to the extended delay.

A development version of the Orion was launched in 2014. I'm assuming that if SLS had been ready sooner, Orion would have been considered operational as well, but I haven't really kept up with it.

I did read that Boeing "thinks" they have the problem solved of 13 out of 24 oxidizer valves sticking. They are going to put hot pockets and hoarded silica packs from products bought on Amazon in there.

Seriously, heaters and desiccant is their intended solution.

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I love sanding.

Space.com put out an article this morning saying Boeing thinks it's just humidity and they plan to use system heaters and desiccant to fix it. Hot hands and silica packs!

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I love sanding.

Ahhh... Ok, got it now. I was reading to fast and confusing spacecraft names. Orion/Starliner...Starliner/Orion........ The sound very different as words, but in my mind I kinda lump them both together at times it seems.

Well, if there is going to be a humidity test, the Florida coast could be considered ground zero!

Earl

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Earl L. Cagle, Jr.
NAR# 29523
TRA# 962
SAM# 73
Owner/Producer
Point 39 Productions

Rocket-Brained Since 1970

Seven YEARS LATE ?!?!?
WTH ?
In any other industry that thing would be dead TWO years late.
Sounds like ridiculous piss-poor validation to me.

__________________
When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !
Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, TURMOIL, FIASCOS, and HAVOC !